Bathing implement



March 6, 1951 F. A. BRACKMANN I 2,544,216

BATHlNG IMPLEMENT Filed April 30, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. A.BRACKMANN CK I 170 Ali) March 6, 1951 F. A. BRACKMANN 2,544,216

BATHlNG IMPLEMENT Filed April so, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I I w 53% 50INVENTOR FREDERICK A.BR CKMANN BY Patented Mar. 6, 1951 UNITED STATESATENT OFFICE BATHIN G IMPLEMENT Frederick A. Brackmann, New York, N. Y.

Application April 30, 1947, Serial No. 744,807

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a bathing or washing implement of the sortadapted for gently washing the skin with a stimulating and slightscraping action by a device composed of vegetable fibers in whichinter-fiber mesh openings are large enough so that dirt wiped up willnot be held in such openings but will run out as does the water or othercleansing liquid. An object is to provide a bathing device of vegetablefibers known as loofah or hetchema, which may be'more easily held andmanipulated, in a shape fitting the hand better than when the samematerial is in fiat or sheet form. Another object is to expand theloofah from its flat condition and hold the same open. Morespecifically, a further object is to retain the expanded loofah materialin a generally cylindrical shape for use in the bath tub and elsewhere.Yet another object is to provide the same material in a form adapted tobe held conveniently in one hand and applied to the face and elsewhere.

A gourd type vegetable product is grown in Asia and known as loofah orhetchema. It is characterized by fibers growing in a natural mesh sothat only a little liquid is held in the smaller of those mesh Openingsbetween the fibers although the fibers are moist from absorbed water. Anumber of such fibers constitute a hard central core as well as ribsbetween longitudinal channels and an outer covering. This inability ofthe material to hold water like an ordinary cotton Wash cloth or spongeresults in its being admirably adapted for use as a washing implementbecause dirt will not be retained in the interfiber pores but will run.out as the water drains from it. The loofah sheet contains severallongitudinal channels. The loofahs are dried and shipped in a flatcondition, but their more natural form is cylindrical as is signified bytheir technical name, loofah cylindrica.

According to this invention the loofah is expanded from its flat form byhaving the fibers absorb moisture and by bringing it intoagenerallycylindrical shape. A filler is placed in one or more of these channels;suchfiller being preferably of a mesh material, but notnecessarily withrectangular openings, which is slightly resilient or expansible' toassist in holding the channel in which it is placed in an opened orexpanded position. In one illustrated embodiment three or four suchfillers are used, the ends of the material being turned inward to enablethe smooth and softer outer layers to protect the user from coarser corefibers and constitute a bathing implement well adapted for holding inthe hand. In another embodiment of this invention the loofah is formedinto a base portion from which a rib upstands, at least one filler beingplaced in this rib to constitute a handle portion. In this latterembodiment the ends of the material are closed and the base portion hasits ends sewn together and to the ends of the rib portion giving thebase a somewhat convex shape adapting it as a smaller bathing implementthan the previously described one of generally cylindrical shape. Therib acts to reinforce the base. Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a bathing implement of this invention ingenerally cylindrical form.

Fig. 2 is a perspective of another embodiment of this invention in asmaller bathing implement such as that shown in Fig. '7.

Fig. 3 is a transverse cross section through the device of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 7, the same being atransverse cross section of the device shown in Fig. 2. V

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3, the samealso being a longitudinal section through the device of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-5 of Fig. 3 before the ends of thefibrous material have been turned in and held closed.

Fig. 7 is a View of the device of Fig. 2 showing more clearly thestitches at the ends of the base portion which hold this base closed andthe ends of the upstanding rib closed, thus giving the base a slightlyconvex shape. 7

Fig. 8 is a transverse cross section through the modified constructioncorresponding to Fig. 3 but in which only three instead of four fillersare I present.

Fig. 9 is an enlargement showing a few of the loofah fibers which form anatural mesh.

Referring to the drawing the loofah or hetchema material HI in itsexpanded or opened position is shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5 as being ofgenerally cylindrical shape. The longitudinal channels have beensupplied with a filler ll extending longitudinally as illustrated inFig. 5 to terminate short of the ends of the loofah material. Betweenthe fillers as shown in Fig. 3 are ribs which are constituted by coarserfibers which are entirely surrounded by the smoother outer surface.shown at I2' in Fig. 6 so that the ends of the material may be bent overand turned in at i3 to enclose the filler material ll. These ends arebrought contiguous the bushings M which are of The ends of these ribsare recessed as any suitable material, metal, or plastic or wood. AsshOWn in the drawing the surface of the bushing is ribbed, in order thatthe inturned ends of the loofah may be held and anchored within theannular recesses between the ribs on the surface of the bushing. To holdthe inturned ends in position contiguous the bushing surface a cord l5or other suitable means may be tightened by having the ends extend outthrough an opening in the loofah material in order that a square knotmay be applied. The core or central portion I! of the loofah materialbetween the radial ribs may have a cord l6 passed around opposite sidesthereof as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the ends of this cord being broughtout through the bushing at each end and forming loops [8 of the desiredlength to facilitate gripping the ends of the loops and using theimplement for example in washing the back while in the bath.

The embodiment illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 has four fillers whereas theembodiment shown in Fig. 8 has only three, the difference usuallydepending upon the age of the gourd. In the embodiment of Fig. 8 theloofah material 20 has looped end cords 2| passing radially inside thefillers 22 by means of the cords 23 passed around the core on threesides instead of on only two sides as in Figs. 3 and 5.

The filler in each embodiment illustrated is preferably of a type havingat least a slight expansibility this tending to keep the loofah inexpanded or opened position with these longitudinal seed channelsfilled. Another characteristic of the filler material is that it shouldbe about as water permeable as the loofah in order that no dirt may beretained within it but instead any dirt will flow directly out of thefiller and loofah as the water runs out of it. One example of anappropriate type filler is the plastic screening material availabletoday for household use, such material being rolled fairly tightly andinserted in the longitudinal openings. The appearance of longitudinalribs shown in Fig. 1 for example is the result of the natural growth ofthe vegetable material and is not the result of processing. A convenientsize for the cylindrical bathing implement has been found to be about 6or 7 inches in length, with the cord extending out each end or 12inches, though of course the desired length of the extending cords willdepend upon the size and convenience of the person using the implement.

Referring to Figs. 2, 4, and 7, loofah 36 of the type having threelongitudinal channels 3| is adapted to be made into a bathing implementhaving a convenient handle 33. A filler 32 of the type mentioned inconnection with Figs. 1, 3 and 5 to 8 but smaller is disposed in atleast a central portion of the handle 33. Stitching, gluing, c1ips,rivets, or other fastening 35 is adapted to close the ends of the baseportion of the implement and also the ends of the handle portion 33,giving the base a slightly convex shape. A cord 36 by means of which theimplement may be hung on a hook or wherever convenient may be passedinto and through the loofah as shown in Figs. 2 and 7. Longitudinalstitching 31 or other well known fastening means assists in forming theshape of the implement and assists the material in being held in theshape illustrated. The handle portion '33 functions as a longitudinalreinforcement for the base.

The natural mesh formed by the fibers as shown in Fig. 9 is anotherreason for the adaptability of the loofah to function as a bathingimplement. Regardless of the direction in which the implement be movedthere always are enough transverse fibers to produce a gentle rubbingaction upon the skin. So far as is known no other vegetable productproduces fibers which form a natural mesh among them in a suitablemanner.

Among the advantages of this invention may be mentioned the provision ofa compact bathing implement admirably shaped to facilitate handling thesame. A noteworthy feature of the loofah material is its largepermeabilit enabling water and dirt to freely flow out from between thefibers without having the dirt retained therein as is the case in acotton wash cloth for example and many sponges. The vegetable fibersthemselves being absorptive retain enough moisture for a gentle andstimulating wiping action on the skin. Unlike a wash cloth or spongeafter dipping this bathing implement in water the bulk of the waterdrains out almost immediately yet the moisture retained in the fibersgives the desirable cleansing action already referred to and makes thefibers more pliable. The filler material used may be ordinary plastichouse screening inasmuch as this has been found to be slightly resilientand tends to expand to hold a loofah in open or expanded position. Thefiller may, if necessary, be additional loofah material but that is notpreferred because this additional loofah material is not resilient orexpansible as is desired. Wherever the fillers are used they areentirely protected by an outer cover of the loofah material so that anyportion of the bathing implement of either Figs. 1 or 2 may when wet beused as a washing or scrubbing implement without damage to the skin. Thepull cords shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6 are preferably of material andstrength to withstand frequent immersions and yet accomplish theirfunction. The cord I5 is held loosely in place by sewing, gluing, or inany other convenient manner in such a way that it will stay in placewhile the ends at l3 are turned in, and allow the contraction of theloofah during tightening of the cord.

Tests with a bathing implement of the type shown in Fig. 1 weighed 28grams dry. After one-half to three minutes immersion the same weighed 80to grams, thereby 52 to 57 grams were taken up. Most of the water ranout of the loofah in 20 seconds, thus indicating the material absorbedonly about twice its weight. A cellulose synthetic sponge held roughlyeleven times its weight of water. Of the water absorbed by the loofah asubstantial part of it is absorbed by the fibers themselves, making themmore live and flexible as distinguished from their dry state prior tomoisture absorption. Also some of the water is retained in the smallermesh openings formed by the fibers. In contrast to the small quantity ofwater retained by the loofah, a natural sponge will retain about tentimes its dry weight of water.

What is claimed is:

1. A Washing implement comprising an envelope of loofah from which seedshave been removed to provide a plurality of longitudinal channels, afiller for at least a substantial portion of one of said channels, saidfiller being shorter in length than the loofah, of mesh material, of asize and rounded cross section to hold open at least a substantialportion of said channel in which placed, and substantially as waterpermeable as said loofah in which the filler is placed, the ends of saidfiller being covered by outer portions of said loofah whereby saidfiller is kept 2,544,216 5 out of contact with whatever surface is beingwashed by the loofah.

2. A washing implement according to claim 1 in which sa d'filler is atleast Slightly resilient.

3. A washing; implement according to claim 2 5 in which said' ifiller isconstituted by a roll of plastic screening.

4. A bathing implement of loofah from which seeds have been removed toprovide a plurality of longitudinal channels, a filler for a substantialportion of; the length of each of said channels, each fillersib eingexpansively resilient and of mesh material of a'lsize to hold open thechannel in which placed, each end of the loofah being re- 1; l cessedand :rec'eiving a bushing about which the 15 25952337 soft outerfendportion of the loofah is turned $313,5 3 inward and held in placeagainst the outside of I the bushing covering the ends of the fillers,and

a pull cord axially passed through each bushing Number thence radiallyoutward from an inner end of 20 3,405 each bushing and longitudinallyaround a central 19,125

core portion radially within and between said channels and secured tosaid core portion. FREDERICK A. BRACKMANN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Snyder June 25, 1889 Campbell iii-Feb.17, 1903 Foerg 'Mar. 25, 1924 Parker July 5, 1932 Alefantis Aug. 25,1936 Mandalou Mar. 9, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great BritainApr. 30, 1892 Great Britain Oct. 19, 1911

